JP2580441C - - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a graphic processing method for modifying a character based on a paint pattern and outputting the modified character. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, with respect to character generation, a method of transferring a dot pattern stored in advance in an auxiliary storage device or a ROM (Read Only Memory) to a display unit or an output unit, or
Similarly, the stored outline data is read out, and after the coordinate transformation, the inside of the outline is displayed or output by simply painting the inside of the outline on an image memory or the like. The character is enlarged, reduced, transformed, and coordinated to various sizes. After being developed, it can be formed by filling, whitening, and various hatching (line shadows or regular patterns) patterns, etc. Was impossible to achieve. On the other hand, with respect to the generation of figures, conventionally, relatively simple figures such as polygons and circles are painted out, and are generated in a white area, a hatching pattern, etc., and the combination with character generation (overlapping, white area, etc.) is extremely small. It was limited to simple things. [0003] Therefore, when it is desired to express a particularly complicated effect, necessary characters or figures are created by photo processing or the like completely separately from document creation and figure editing by a computer, and are bonded to a desired hatching pattern film. Also, when a shadow effect is desired, it is extremely troublesome, for example, two figures or characters are formed by photographic processing or the like, stuck together at a required interval, and then corrected. (Purpose) An object of the present invention is to provide a graphic processing method which eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional example and which can easily select and set a paint pattern when modifying and outputting characters based on the paint pattern. It is in. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external connection diagram of an image processing system (which can handle figures and characters) to which the present invention is applied. In addition,
The system need not be limited to this, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a single device or even if a part of the system is changed. Further, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a case where the program can be achieved by supplying a program having these functions to a system or a device. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 31 denotes a control unit (referred to as a workstation) having a microcomputer for system control, an internal memory including a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and an external memory including a floppy disk or a cartridge disk. It is. Reference numeral 32 denotes an input unit of the digital copying machine, which is a document reader for converting document information of a document placed on a document table into an electric signal by an image pickup device such as a CCD, and 33, an output unit of the digital copying machine, such as a laser beam printer. This is a high-speed printer that records an image on a recording material based on information converted into an electric signal. Reference numeral 34 denotes an image file having a recording medium such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk and capable of writing and reading a large amount of image information. A microfilm file 35 includes a microfilm search unit and a microfilm reader unit that converts image information on the searched microfilm into an electric signal by an imaging device. 3
Reference numeral 7 denotes a printer device such as a laser beam printer similar to the printer 33, which is smaller and slower than the printer 33, and is installed as necessary. Reference numeral 38 denotes a CRT device which displays image information or system control information photoelectrically read by a digital copier and a microfilm input scanner (reader).
This is a display unit that performs image processing. Reference numeral 39 denotes a switching device for switching the connection between the input devices by a signal from the control unit 31. 40 to 48 are cables for electrically connecting the input devices. Reference numeral 50 denotes a keyboard provided in the control unit 31. By operating the keyboard 50, a system operation command is issued. Reference numeral 61 denotes a pointing device for instructing processing of image information on the CRT 38. The cursor 61 on the CRT 38 is arbitrarily moved in the X and Y directions to select a command image on a command menu and give the instruction. Reference numeral 51 denotes an operation panel for issuing an operation command for the digital copying machine, and includes a setting key for setting the number of copies and a copy magnification, a copy key 55 for instructing the start of copying, a numerical display, and the like. Reference numeral 52 denotes a mode changeover switch which determines whether the initiative to start the digital copier is to be made to the copier or the control unit. Reference numerals 53 and 54 denote light emitting diodes (LEDs) which indicate the mode selection state of the mode changeover switch 52. Display. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the image editing apparatus. In the present application, image editing is also referred to as document editing. The same parts as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. H4 is VR
Data to be displayed on the display unit 38 by AM is developed on a bitmap. For example, in the case of character data, a character character corresponding to the code is developed on the VRAM, and a cursor can be directly generated and displayed on a display area of the VRAM by software control. [0007] H7, H8, and H9 are data file disks, for example, H8 is a hard disk (HD), and H7 is a 5-inch floppy disk (FD). [0008] BMU H5 is a BMU (Bit Manipulation Unit), and is a video RAM H4.
, A main memory, a device such as a disk (H7, H8, H9), and a DMAC (Direct
t Memory Access Control), and the following 16 types of logical operations are possible as a function function. The data transfer source is A (source side), and the data transfer destination is B (destination
Side), for example, A (reverse), AB, A + B, Logical 1 (black out), A + B, B, A + B, A + B, AB, A + B, B, A + B, Log
ical 0 (clear), AB, AB, A, etc. MPU Next, H6 is an MPU (Micro Processor Unit) unit.
The MPU unit has an HD / FD-IF (interface) and controls access to the disks H7, H8, and H9 and PMEM and IMEM described later. Printer and Reader H10 and H13 in FIG. 2 are printers having different pixel densities, respectively.
Is a reader for reading an original. H11 and H14 are printers H10, respectively.
, The printer H13 and the reader H12. PMEM, IMEMs H15 and H16 are program memories (PMEM), and select and execute a program for editing processing from the hard disk H8 as appropriate. Also, the keyboard 50
Is stored as code information in a main memory which is also a text memory. The data stored in the main memory, the data stored in the disk, and the data read from the reader can be developed as bit data in the image memory IMEM, and the same applies to the data stored in the PMEM. However, the DMAC is possible through the aforementioned BMU. FIG. 3 shows a simple memory map in PMEM, H15 or H16. Next, an embodiment using a system having the above configuration will be described in detail step by step. The present embodiment relates to the processing of graphics representing characters and the like. First, a parameter definition prepared in advance will be described. FIG. 6 shows a parameter set included in the image processing system, which is specified on the parameter definition screen shown in FIG. 7 in the graphic editing program. Type of Parameter << a >> in FIG. 7 is a type designation parameter, which designates the type of data (hereinafter referred to as original data) stored in advance in an auxiliary storage device or the like. Note that the original data in the present embodiment is a system having feature points or sample points on the graphic contour as coordinate values. << b >> is a parameter for designating a standard output size of a character. The output size can be expanded or reduced to any size in principle. <<< c >>> designates a development method, and relates to a method for determining a character string output direction. Horizontal expansion, diagonal expansion, circumferential expansion, and the like can be designated as examples of the expansion method. <<<<>> is a rotation angle, and the rotation angle of each character can be designated in any expansion method in <<<<>>.<<<<>> designates duplicate output, and designates the number of times of duplicate output in accordance with the parameter set designated at the output position of each character determined in the calculation process of Step 2 in FIG. For << f >>, << g >>, << h >>, and << i >>, a coordinate transformation for transforming original data stored in advance in an auxiliary storage device or the like is designated. The presence / absence and the amount of deformation are specified for the long flat body, mirror image inversion, italic (slanted), and thickening of the contour, respectively. For << j >>, the presence / absence of a shadow effect and the shadow amount for the data deformed in the above << f >>, << g >>, << h >>, and << i >> are designated. . Regarding << k >>, the presence / absence of the outline of the transformed data and the thickness thereof are designated. <<< l >>> designates a pattern that forms the inside of the outline of a figure to be output, and can specify no pattern, white background, black background, and various other types of hatching. Parameter Set As shown in FIG. 6, this parameter set can have a number of records designated by << e >> in a series of parameters described above. This parameter set is stored in a shared area on the PMEM (H16) and is referred to by the control unit of the image processing system. Image Storage Area The present invention is characterized by having a plurality of storage means capable of storing graphic information as a dot pattern. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment in which, for example, an internal storage area (image storage area 1 and image storage area 2) is secured in IMEM, and an output area is secured in VRAM (CRT display area) and IMEM (printer output area). The internal storage area can be dynamically managed by the control unit of the image processing system as follows. The image storage area 1 and the image storage area 2 have the same size, and the size is determined by the type of the output area and the output size. The size in the horizontal and vertical directions is set for each area on the image storage area management table, and the control unit specifies the area (pointer of the image storage area management table) and coordinates the area start address. The address in the real memory is calculated by designating the offset coordinates (x, y) to be (0, 0). Similarly, regarding the memory transfer amount, the dot size (w, h
) Is converted to the byte size in the real memory. The data transfer between the individual image storage areas is performed by setting these values in the registers.
U (H5) can be performed at high speed. FIG. 5 shows an image storage area management table. Control Unit FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of the control unit of the image processing system stored in the PMEM (H16). Step 1 is the definition of the above-described parameter, and is stored in the parameter set shown in FIG. Step 2 is the determination of the character string start position, which is determined as follows, for example, by using the CRT 38 and the pointing device 61 capable of designating an arbitrary point on the screen of the graphic editing program. In the case of horizontal development and diagonal development, two points, ie, a development start point and a development direction point, are specified. In the case of circumferential development, two points for determining the development start point and a desired circumference are designated. S
Step 3 is a designation of an output character string, which can be designated by a single input of a character type required for output in, for example, kana-kanji conversion or code input. Step 4 and Step 5 are portions for outputting the character string according to a defined parameter set. FIG. 9 is a flowchart relating to the output of individual characters in Step 4 described above. S
The data specified in step 5-1 is read by an auxiliary storage device or the like. St
Ep5-2, Step5-5, and Step5-6 are management of parameter records constituting a parameter set, and sequentially decode and process the parameter records shown in FIG. Step 5-4 is for processing the read original data in accordance with the individual parameter records shown in FIG. Specifically, determination of the corresponding dots between the image storage areas, selection of a logical operation, and transfer to the output area are performed. FIG. 10 shows a detailed flow chart relating to character output in Step 5-4. St
At ep6-1, the parameter records are analyzed, and their values are set in the internal memory of the control unit. Step 6-2 is a coordinate transformation process, and FIG.
-1 in the above-described parameter definition in FIG.
, << g >>, << h >>, and << i >>, perform coordinate transformation. In Step 6-3, the output area is determined. The output area in the output area (CRT display area or printer output area) is determined from the developed position and output size specified in Step 2 of FIG. 8 and all the deformation parameters. The designation of an intermediate coating pattern is first classified into two types, “absent” and “present”, and each is separately processed. When the specification of the middle coat pattern is “none”, Step 6
-4, only the outline of the data is generated, and the image storage area 1
Is selected. If the designation of the middle coat pattern is “Yes”, the inside of the outline of the character data is painted out in Step 6-7 and developed as a dot pattern on the image storage area 1. Shadow generation processing Step 6-5 and Step 6-8 are shadow generation processing when a shadow is specified by the parameter << j >>. Shadow generation processing is performed by BMU (H
This is performed by repeating the transfer to the image storage area 2 while sequentially shifting the transfer destination coordinate values (x, y) using the logical function [A + B] of 5). Transfer destination coordinate value (x
, Y) is calculated by calculating the number of dots (sx, sy) to be moved on the image storage area from the parameters << b >> and << j >>, based on the DDA algorithm (symmetric digital differential analysis). For example, when 0 ≦ sx and 0 ≦ sy, the transfer destination coordinate values (x, y) satisfying 0 ≦ x ≦ sx and 0 ≦ y ≦ sy are sequentially calculated. Transfer to Output Area When the middle coat pattern designation by parameter <<l> is “none”, Step
In 6-6, the image storage area 2 or the image storage area 1 depends on whether or not the shadow is designated.
B to the output area determined in Step 6-3
The transfer is performed using the MU logic function [A + B]. If the intermediate paint pattern designation is “black”, the dot pattern stored in the image storage area 2 or the image storage area 1 is output to the output area determined in Step 6-3 according to the presence or absence of the shadow designation in Step 6-9. Transfer using function [A + B]. If the middle coat pattern designation is "white", the dot pattern stored in the image storage area 2 or the image storage area 1 is determined by the presence or absence of the shadow designation in Step 6-10 to the output area determined in Step 6-3. Transfer using the function [AB]. If the middle coat pattern designation is "hatching", first, in Step 6-11, the same processing as in Step 6-10 is performed (
The output pattern portion on the output area is previously blanked out). Then Step 6-12
, A hatching pattern mask specified by the logical function [AB] of the BMU is applied to the dot pattern stored in the image storage area 2 or the image storage area 1 depending on the presence or absence of the shadow specification, and the output determined in Step 6-3 The data is transferred to the area using the logical function [A + B] of the BMU. FIG. 11 shows an example of the above-described Step 6-8, Step 6-11, and Step 6-1.
2 and a conceptual diagram of Step 6-13 (in the case where a shadow “present” and a hatching pattern are designated as parameters). F-1 is a dot pattern on the image storage area 1 which is internally filled in Step 6-7. F-2 is St
This is the result of repeating the transfer while sequentially changing the transfer destination coordinate value in the ep6-8 shadow processing (the shift intervals of F-2, F-3, F-4, F-5, and F-6 are increased for explanation. Although it is shown, it can actually be changed in units of the minimum dot existing in the memory). F-3 is obtained by whitening out the output pattern portion on the output area in advance by Step 6-11. Thereafter, a hatching pattern mask F-4 designated by Step 6-12 is applied to obtain F-5. F-6 is Step 6-1
In step 3, F-5 is transferred to the output area. FIG. 12 conceptually shows a process of decoding a plurality of parameter records existing in a parameter set and redundantly outputting differently designated characters at the same position. As an example, a pattern existing on an output area is bordered along a contour portion of a desired output character, and then a shadow character is output. In this case, for example, “the number of overlapping characters = 3” is specified in the parameter definition << e >> in FIG. 7, and the first sheet: [thickening amount = 2%, shadow amount = (x, y), hatching pattern = "White"], 2nd sheet: [Thick amount = 1%, shadow amount = (x, y), hatching pattern = "black"], 3rd sheet: [Thick amount = 0%, Shadow = none, hatching pattern] = "
White ”]. According to this definition, the first sheet is set to parameter record 1, the second sheet is set to parameter record 2, and the third sheet is set to parameter record 3. F8-1 shows a pattern already existing on the output area. F8-2 shows the result of decoding and outputting the parameter record 1. F8-3 and F8-4 show the results of decoding and outputting parameter record 2 and parameter record 3, respectively. F8-4 is the result of outputting one character for all parameter records set by the parameter definition. Although the above description has been given of a general shadow character output, the parameter definition in FIG. 7 is modified (<< f >>, << g >>, << h >> and << i >>), Since the shadow, outline, and intermediate paint can be specified independently, various outputs other than the example of FIG. 12 can be obtained. In addition, the number of parameter records included in the parameter set is not limited in principle. As described above, various fill patterns can be selected for data that has been subjected to coordinate transformation by a wide range of sizes, various deformations, and various expansion methods from the original data, and shadows can be easily selected. The effect can be obtained. As described above, by outputting characters redundantly, design elements can be given to document creation and figure editing. Furthermore, it can be combined with any existing pattern on the image memory. In addition, these effects result in beautifully finished output results with the connected high resolution digital printer. Further, it is possible to provide a system capable of processing with higher quality and higher speed than ever before, even for a printing department having a strong design element, such as a headline character creation, a leaflet notice, and other design elements which were very troublesome. As described in detail above, according to the present invention, a graphic processing method capable of easily selecting and setting a paint pattern when modifying and outputting a character based on the paint pattern is provided. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]     FIG.   It is a system outline connection diagram.     FIG. 2   It is a block diagram.     FIG. 3   It is a memory map figure.     FIG. 4   It is a memory map figure (VRAM, IMEM).     FIG. 5   FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an image storage area management table.     FIG. 6   FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a parameter set.     FIG. 7   It is an explanatory view of a parameter definition screen.     FIG. 8   It is a general | schematic flowchart.     FIG. 9   It is a detailed flowchart.     FIG. 10   It is a detailed flowchart.     FIG. 11   It is a conceptual diagram.     FIG.   It is a conceptual diagram.     [Explanation of symbols]   31 System control unit   38 CRT   H4 VRAM   H5 BMU   H6 MPU   H7, H8 disc   H15, H16 PMEM   H17, H18 IMEM

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. A list of a plurality of paint patterns including hatching and white outline applied to a character, and a paint pattern selected and set from the list of the plurality of paint patterns. Graphic processing, comprising the steps of: displaying a setting screen that can be identified on a list of painting patterns; and modifying and outputting characters based on the painting pattern selected and set using the setting screen. Method.